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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — a break
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. prune — to trim
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bound — tied together
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bound — obliged
  12. hand — in cards
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bound — certain
  18. rock — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rest — what's left
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. hand — help
  23. branch — a division
  24. rock — to move gently

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