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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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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: kick · last · rush · branch · suit · firm · cap · nail

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. firm — decided
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. last — final
  12. kick — in football
  13. rush — hurry
  14. last — finally
  15. cap — a lid
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. last — to go on
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. suit — to fit
  22. branch — of a bank
  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