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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: cabinet · clip · spell · mug · branch · nail · rest · sharp

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. sharp — clever
  3. clip — to cut
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. clip — a video
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. clip — for paper
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — a division
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a face

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