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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mug — a face
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mug — a cup
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mug — to rob
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. prune — to trim
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rock — music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rock — a stone
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. saw — the tool
  24. prune — the fruit

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