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

Word bank: bank · nail · content · safe · stick · squash

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bank — for money
  6. squash — the sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. content — the amount
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. safe — out of danger

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