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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: tear · branch · current · safe · prune · sharp · ball · temple

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. current — happening now
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a great time
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a dance
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tear — from crying
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. sharp — clever
  14. tear — from crying
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. current — of water
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. branch — a division
  21. tear — to rip
  22. current — electric
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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