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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: suit · pitcher · present · branch · kid · spring · staff · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — a division
  3. present — the time now
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spring — a coil
  7. present — there
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — in cards
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. kid — child
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. spring — the season
  15. staff — a stick
  16. spring — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kid — to tease
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. staff — employees
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. present — a gift

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