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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. kid — child
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. row — a line
  10. bear — the animal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — for money
  15. branch — a division
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — in cards
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bulb — for light
  22. suit — clothes
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bear — to put up with

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