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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: hide · court · branch · nail · chip · current · lie · bore

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — to recline
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. current — electric
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. current — of water
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of law
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. current — happening now
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. court — of a king

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