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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: rule · spring · nail · cabinet · pitcher · branch · rush · bay

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. branch — a division
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. spring — of water
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. spring — the season
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rule — a law
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rule — government
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. spring — a coil
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitcher — a jug

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