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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · kick · squash · plane · bay · branch · current · nail

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. squash — to crush
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — electric
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. firm — decided
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — a tool
  13. firm — steady
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. branch — a division
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com