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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · kick · branch · nail · bass · present · perch · mug

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mug — to rob
  5. present — the time now
  6. mug — a cup
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mug — a face
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — a gift
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — boats
  21. perch — the fish
  22. kick — in football
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kick — a thrill

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