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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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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: racket · sharp · branch · safe · bank · cabinet · hand · land

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. sharp — clever
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. land — to come down
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. land — a country
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. land — ground
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hand — help
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hand — part of the body

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