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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 120 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: key · nail · wound · staff · suit · bowl · branch · safe

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — employees
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. staff — employees
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. key — the most important part
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. staff — a stick
  23. branch — a division
  24. nail — for a hammer

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