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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 · nail · dip · firm · saw · staff · chest · foot

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chest — of your body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. firm — decided
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. branch — a division
  11. chest — a box
  12. foot — a measure
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. saw — the tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. staff — employees
  17. chest — of your body
  18. dip — to sink
  19. staff — a stick
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. firm — steady
  22. staff — employees
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. firm — a company

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