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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — size or range
  5. branch — a division
  6. key — the most important part
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stand — to bear
  24. scale — in music

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