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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bound — tied together
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bound — certain
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — boats
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bank — for money
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wave — of the sea

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