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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: branch · rock · capital · safe · mate · pound · chest · wave

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mate — a partner
  5. chest — a box
  6. branch — a division
  7. rock — a stone
  8. chest — of your body
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. capital — money
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. capital — a city
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. chest — of your body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rock — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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