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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: rash · safe · leaves · chest · branch · wound · fine · scale

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — in music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — a division
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chest — of your body
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fine — high quality

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