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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — to handle
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mate — a friend
  6. date — the fruit
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. chair — a leader
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mate — to breed
  19. branch — a division
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mate — a partner
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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