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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. firm — steady
  6. branch — a division
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — a company
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — for a bird

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