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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bound — tied together
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. land — ground
  8. bass — low music
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. charge — a price
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — electricity
  14. land — to come down
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. land — a country
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bank — for money
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — in control
  24. bound — certain

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