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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
468
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: leaves · deal · nail · pass · key · bark · swing · branch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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. pass — a permit
  4. swing — music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bark — to shout
  7. branch — a division
  8. swing — to play on
  9. deal — to handle
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. key — the most important part
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. leaves — of a tree

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