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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: nail · rock · patient · rest · key · charge · row · branch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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 tree
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. key — the most important part
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. row — a line
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — for a lock
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — a price
  16. rock — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. key — in music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. charge — in control
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rest — what's left

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