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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: branch · saw · deal · safe · fine · band · hide · scale

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — high quality
  6. branch — a division
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. saw — the tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fine — all right
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — in music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. band — a ring
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a music group

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