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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: safe · kick · snap · jam · prune · stick · charge · capital

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. capital — money
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to click
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. kick — in football
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. capital — a city
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. charge — electricity

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