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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. sharp — clever
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pop — music
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — to trim
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pop — soda
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — steady
  20. pop — to visit
  21. firm — a company
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — decided
  24. branch — a division

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