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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: field · bore · saw · branch · ball · safe · scale · sharp

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. field — for sport
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. branch — a division
  6. bore — to drill
  7. field — a subject
  8. scale — in music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. field — farmland
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bore — to tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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