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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 · sharp · bay · march · branch · can · object · safe

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. march — the month
  6. field — a subject
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. object — a thing
  11. branch — a division
  12. march — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — to protest
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. march — the month
  21. field — farmland
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. field — for sport

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