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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.

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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: nail · rash · file · wake · deal · leaves · bear · branch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. file — a document
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. branch — a division
  13. file — a tool
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. file — a line of people
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rash — hasty
  19. wake — a trail
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rash — a series
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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