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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · mark · snap · pit · sharp · branch · spell · wax

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spell — magic
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. spell — a short time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mark — a trace
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. snap — to click
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — a division
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mark — a grade
  23. spell — letters
  24. sharp — exactly

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