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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. race — a contest
  5. stock — shares
  6. kick — in football
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. branch — a division
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stock — goods
  13. plane — a tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. kick — with a leg

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