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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: capital · branch · deal · safe · scale · roll · rush · saw

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. deal — to handle
  4. capital — a city
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. branch — a division
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. scale — size or range
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. scale — in music
  20. capital — money
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. saw — the tool

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