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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · firm · march · safe · cabinet · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. firm — steady
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. march — the month
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. march — music
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. march — the month
  12. firm — decided
  13. branch — a division
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a grade
  16. firm — a company
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a bank

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