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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · face · safe · key · saw · kick · bank · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. 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. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bank — of a river
  7. saw — the tool
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — for a lock
  10. kick — in football
  11. face — to confront
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. face — to point toward
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. key — in music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. face — part of the head
  24. 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