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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: branch · date · fan · court · nail · row · rock · snap

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — a stone
  9. court — for sport
  10. rock — music
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. court — of law
  14. snap — to click
  15. branch — a division
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — the fruit
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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