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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pass — a permit
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rush — hurry
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rash — a series
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. deal — to handle
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. branch — a division
  24. foot — the bottom

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