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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: saw · prune · kid · wake · firm · branch · safe · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — a break
  11. branch — a division
  12. wake — a trail
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kid — to tease
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. saw — the tool
  20. firm — steady
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. kid — child
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. firm — decided

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