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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: court · kick · land · wake · rock · nail · branch · stick

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — a stone
  3. court — of a king
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kick — in football
  17. wake — a trail
  18. land — ground
  19. rock — music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. branch — of a bank

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