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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · squash · nail · fine · patient · branch · key · file

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. file — a tool
  5. squash — the sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. branch — a division
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — all right
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fine — high quality
  16. present — a gift
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. file — a document
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — in music
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. branch — of a bank

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