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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. object — a thing
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stand — to bear
  6. row — a line
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. mark — a grade
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — an aim
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. object — to protest
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stand — for spectators

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