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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. tear — from crying
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tear — from crying
  22. craft — boats
  23. pound — a weight
  24. tear — to rip

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