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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. net — for catching
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lean — thin
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — after costs
  22. branch — a division
  23. lean — to bend
  24. prune — to trim

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