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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 116 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: wound · branch · hand · can · key · sharp · safe · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. key — in music
  3. can — to be able to
  4. hand — help
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wound — an injury
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. branch — a division
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hand — in cards
  20. shower — to wash
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. can — a tin
  24. branch — of a tree

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