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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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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: safe · ruler · bulb · nail · branch · capital · suit · wind

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — in cards
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. capital — a city
  22. branch — a division
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. branch — of a bank

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