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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: safe · object · bat · sharp · key · branch · mug · chip

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. chip — for betting
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. branch — a division
  9. object — a thing
  10. key — in music
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. key — the most important part
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — to protest
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mug — a face
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mug — to rob
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — a cup

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