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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. land — to come down
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mate — a friend
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. bore — to tire
  11. land — a country
  12. can — a tin
  13. mate — to breed
  14. branch — a division
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wound — an injury
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — for dancing
  24. land — ground

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