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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. date — the fruit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — in a race
  10. staff — employees
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hand — in cards
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — a container
  24. branch — of a tree

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