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

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pop — music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ball — a great time
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ball — a dance
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — in cards
  24. perch — the fish

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