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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 116 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: racket · leaves · rule · bank · firm · nail · branch · spell

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. firm — a company
  9. rule — a law
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — a short time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spell — letters
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. branch — a division
  22. spell — magic
  23. bank — for money
  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