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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. chest — a box
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hand — in cards
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. hand — help
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chest — of your body

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