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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. board — a committee
  9. object — to protest
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. branch — a division
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bulb — for light
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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