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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. file — a tool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. staff — a stick
  11. can — a tin
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. can — a tin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. file — a line of people
  19. can — to be able to
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. file — a document
  24. staff — employees

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