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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: pit · chip · mark · nail · safe · key · season · branch

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pit — a hole
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mark — a trace
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. season — in sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. season — of the year
  10. chip — for betting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — in a race
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. branch — a division
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. key — in music

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