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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: spell · sharp · mug · safe · lean · field · snap · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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 — a division
  2. mug — a face
  3. field — farmland
  4. spell — letters
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mug — to rob
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. spell — a short time
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. spell — magic
  16. snap — to click
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. field — a subject
  21. mug — a cup
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. lean — to bend
  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