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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: rest · bound · safe · branch · cabinet · sharp · chair · pitcher

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chair — a leader
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — a break
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. sharp — clever
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — certain
  12. branch — a division
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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