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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: bulb · last · branch · straw · leaves · safe · charge · bore

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bore — to tire
  3. last — finally
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. last — final
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — to drill
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. charge — a price
  14. last — to go on
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — in control
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. branch — a division
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bulb — of a plant

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