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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.

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: last · key · bat · swing · safe · branch · fan · mate

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — in golf
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. swing — music
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mate — a partner
  10. branch — a division
  11. key — the most important part
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a friend
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mate — to breed
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. last — to go on
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. key — in music

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