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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: prune · charge · toast · degree · firm · bound · snap · branch

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bound — tied together
  3. branch — a division
  4. prune — to trim
  5. degree — an amount
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bound — obliged
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. degree — from a university
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — a company
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bound — certain
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. firm — decided
  23. toast — bread
  24. snap — to click

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