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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · rush · nail · cap · lean · branch · mouse · hide

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — hurry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cap — a lid
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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