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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 116 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: pit · key · branch · saw · bat · mate · nail · object

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — in music
  3. object — a thing
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bat — the animal
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mate — a friend
  11. branch — a division
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. key — for a lock
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pit — in a race
  24. nail — for a hammer

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