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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. staff — employees
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. staff — a stick
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bound — tied together

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