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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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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 · scale · wind · toast · branch · mouse · stick · rock

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rock — music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. toast — bread
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. branch — a division
  18. wind — moving air
  19. scale — size or range
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. scale — in music

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