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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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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: fan · mark · toast · wave · nail · jam · roll · branch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. roll — a cake
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. toast — bread
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. roll — a list
  22. mark — a trace
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mark — to pay attention

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