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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.

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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: face · branch · safe · rest · cap · wave · hand · nail

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — a division
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. hand — in cards
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cap — a lid
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rest — a break
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cap — a hat
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. hand — help
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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