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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — for a lock
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. firm — decided
  12. key — the most important part
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. firm — a company
  16. craft — a skill
  17. branch — a division
  18. cell — a phone
  19. key — in music
  20. craft — boats
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — steady
  24. cell — in biology

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