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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. current — of water
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. current — happening now
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — a break
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. current — electric
  18. bound — certain
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bound — tied together
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bound — obliged
  23. suit — clothes
  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