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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · mine · safe · perch · stick · bulb · branch · prune

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — the fruit

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