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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. track — a path
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. court — of a king
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of law
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — to keep track
  12. branch — a division
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pop — to visit
  16. dip — to sink
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a song
  23. pop — soda
  24. prune — to trim

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