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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. can — a tin
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. board — a committee
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pit — in a race
  17. can — to be able to
  18. board — to get on
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. prune — to trim
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pit — a hole

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