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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 · safe · net · game · racket · branch · cue · charge

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. net — after costs
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — for catching
  5. spell — magic
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. branch — a division
  9. spell — a short time
  10. game — a match
  11. game — wild animals
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — electricity
  15. net — in sport
  16. charge — in control
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. cue — a signal
  19. spell — letters
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — a hint
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cue — for pool

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