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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. prune — to trim
  3. last — to go on
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. prune — to trim
  12. craft — boats
  13. last — final
  14. field — a subject
  15. date — the fruit
  16. field — for sport
  17. rock — music
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. craft — a skill
  21. field — farmland
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pass — a permit
  24. last — finally

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