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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. object — an aim
  5. wound — an injury
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. object — a thing
  10. swing — in golf
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wound — an injury
  16. branch — a division
  17. prune — to trim
  18. snap — to click
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. swing — to play on
  22. firm — decided
  23. object — to protest
  24. swing — 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