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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. court — of law
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — to visit
  8. court — for sport
  9. plane — a tool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. court — of a king
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pop — music
  21. branch — a division
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. leaves — lets stay

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