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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — decided
  3. pass — a permit
  4. firm — a company
  5. branch — a division
  6. firm — steady
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — boats
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. prune — the fruit

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