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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: snap · branch · ground · safe · capital · current · swing · date

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — crushed
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. date — the fruit
  7. ground — the earth
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. capital — money
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. swing — in golf
  16. branch — a division
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click
  19. capital — a city
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. current — electric
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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