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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 120 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: current · rash · arm · nail · bay · rest · branch · tear

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tear — to rip
  7. rest — what's left
  8. branch — a division
  9. rest — a break
  10. current — of water
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. current — electric
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rash — a series
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. nail — on a finger
  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