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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 120 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
468
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: branch · scale · safe · cabinet · pound · wound · foot · land

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wound — an injury
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — ground
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wound — an injury
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. foot — a measure
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — a division
  24. pound — for dogs

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