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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: craft · branch · key · march · nail · toast · land · charge

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. craft — boats
  3. march — the month
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — the most important part
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. craft — a skill
  9. land — a country
  10. branch — a division
  11. charge — a price
  12. key — for a lock
  13. land — ground
  14. march — the month
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. charge — electricity
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. toast — bread
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. charge — in control
  22. key — in music
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. march — music

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