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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rush — hurry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pit — a hole
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stand — to bear
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. nail — for a hammer

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