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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. season — of the year
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — to fit
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. season — in sport
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. press — newspapers
  22. suit — in cards
  23. prune — to trim
  24. branch — a division

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