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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rest — a break
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. prune — to trim
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — a price
  13. season — of the year
  14. present — there
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. charge — in control
  19. season — in sport
  20. plane — a tool
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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