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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. capital — money
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. capital — a city
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — a permit
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. chair — a leader
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. branch — a division
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — a part of something

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