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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wake — a trail
  3. staff — employees
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. object — an aim
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. branch — a division
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. rock — music
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. object — to protest
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rock — a stone
  24. object — a thing

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