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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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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: deal · bay · rest · leaves · branch · safe · fork · nail

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — what's left
  16. branch — a division
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — a break
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fork — in a road
  24. safe — out of danger

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