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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: wake · stick · rash · rush · calf · branch · safe · scale

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wake — a trail
  10. scale — in music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — a series
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wake — before a funeral

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