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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 · snap · kick · mine · degree · safe · pass · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. branch — a division
  6. degree — temperature
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. degree — from a university
  9. snap — to click
  10. kick — in football
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. degree — an amount
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. kick — a thrill

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