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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cell — in biology
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pitch — completely
  9. track — a song
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cell — a phone
  19. track — a path
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — part of the head
  24. branch — a division

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