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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the fish
  4. branch — a division
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. last — final
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. suit — to fit
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bass — low music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. last — to go on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — the most important part
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. key — in music

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