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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. row — a line
  4. key — the most important part
  5. row — to paddle
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pitch — completely
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. prune — to trim
  17. branch — a division
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. prune — to trim
  24. can — to be able to

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