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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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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: rest · kid · prune · safe · charge · branch · rock · snap

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rest — a break
  6. prune — to trim
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. kid — to tease
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. branch — a division
  14. charge — electricity
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. prune — to trim
  17. snap — to click
  18. charge — in control
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rock — music
  21. rest — what's left
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. charge — a price
  24. branch — of a tree

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