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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: branch · safe · cap · stand · foot · prune · object · rush

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — a measure
  4. branch — a division
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cap — a lid
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cap — of ice
  13. object — an aim
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cap — a hat
  17. object — a thing
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rush — to hurry

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