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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pop — soda
  8. present — the time now
  9. board — a committee
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. present — a gift
  15. land — a country
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pop — music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — to get on
  23. branch — a division
  24. present — there

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