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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.

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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: rush · branch · sharp · safe · bore · key · board · capital

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — to get on
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. sharp — clever
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a city
  11. key — in music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bore — to tire
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. key — the most important part
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. key — for a lock
  24. branch — a division

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