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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: branch · can · wound · nail · mine · bay · charge · pound

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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 bank
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. can — a tin
  8. mine — for digging
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. charge — in control
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. charge — a price
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pound — a weight
  20. can — a tin
  21. branch — a division
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. charge — electricity

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