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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bound — tied together
  5. last — to go on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stock — shares
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stock — goods
  12. rash — hasty
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — finally
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. branch — a division
  21. last — final
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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