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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: nail · sharp · safe · foot · squash · branch · coach · face

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — to confront
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — to crush
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. face — to point toward
  8. sharp — clever
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. face — part of the head
  16. squash — the sport
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. foot — a measure
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. coach — a trainer

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