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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pit — in a race
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bound — obliged
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bound — certain
  14. branch — a division
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — shares
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. stock — goods
  23. bound — tied together
  24. snap — to click

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