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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. shower — to wash
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. march — the month
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pit — in a race
  11. shower — rain
  12. march — music
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stock — shares
  17. can — a tin
  18. stock — goods
  19. pit — a hole
  20. can — a tin
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — to be able to
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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