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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. branch — a division
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bound — tied together
  8. file — a line of people
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. file — a document
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. firm — decided
  15. file — a tool
  16. cap — a lid
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. firm — a company
  20. bulb — for light
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — certain
  24. prune — the fruit

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