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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: toast · present · nail · wound · branch · bore · cue · firm

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. present — there
  3. wound — an injury
  4. firm — steady
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bore — to drill
  7. present — a gift
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. present — the time now
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. cue — for pool
  20. toast — bread
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bore — to tire
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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