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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 120 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: branch · press · fan · shower · ruler · object · nail · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. shower — rain
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. shower — to wash
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ruler — for measuring

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