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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: charge · pound · tear · calf · safe · branch · bark · cap

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. branch — a division
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — electricity
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. charge — a price
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cap — a lid
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pound — a weight
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. cap — a hat
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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