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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: nail · kick · bulb · staff · cue · fork · swing · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — in football
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. swing — to play on
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. staff — employees
  19. swing — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fork — in a road
  23. cue — for pool
  24. kick — with a leg

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