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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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Word bank
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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: net · branch · ruler · bay · bat · safe · nail · key

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — the animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. branch — a division
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. key — in music
  24. net — in sport

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