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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: nail · kid · fork · season · hide · net · rush · branch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. kid — child
  11. rush — hurry
  12. net — after costs
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. net — in sport
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. net — for catching
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. kid — to tease
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. branch — a division
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hide — to keep secret

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