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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: nail · cell · cabinet · branch · suit · ground · coach · wave

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. suit — to fit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ground — the earth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. suit — clothes
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cell — a phone
  17. ground — crushed
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — a position
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — ministers

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