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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — for money
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mug — a face
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bat — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bank — of a river
  9. season — in sport
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. present — a gift
  18. season — of the year
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. present — there
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. present — the time now

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