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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. bear — the animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. branch — a division
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — a measure
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. deal — a big deal
  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