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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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. branch — a division
  4. file — a line of people
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. prune — to trim
  16. snap — to click
  17. file — a document
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. file — a tool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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