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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: plane · bore · branch · game · cue · pitcher · nail · press

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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. bore — gave birth
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. game — wild animals
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. cue — a signal
  12. branch — a division
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bore — to tire
  18. game — a match
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bore — to drill
  24. plane — a tool

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