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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: cabinet · temple · can · branch · row · cold · lie · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — to paddle
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lie — to recline
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cold — not warm
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — a division
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cold — an illness

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