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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. branch — a division
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. present — there
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. present — the time now
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. prune — to trim
  14. present — a gift
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — to get on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bulb — for light

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