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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — soda
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rest — a break
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — to visit
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — hurry
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pop — music
  23. content — the amount
  24. foot — a measure

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