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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · fine · wound · bore · branch · fork · safe · last

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. last — to go on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. last — final
  9. wound — an injury
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fork — in a road
  13. branch — a division
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bore — to drill
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fine — high quality
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. last — finally
  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