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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. present — the time now
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. face — part of the head
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. present — there
  9. firm — decided
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. band — a music group
  12. firm — a company
  13. present — a gift
  14. band — a ring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. firm — steady
  18. stock — goods
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — to confront
  22. stock — shares
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — a part of something

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