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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. net — for catching
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. net — in sport
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — to handle
  14. branch — a division
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. net — after costs
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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