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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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 — the fruit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. face — to confront
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. tube — a container
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. face — to point toward
  13. branch — a division
  14. hand — in cards
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. hand — help
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — the underground
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. face — part of the head
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. arm — part of the body
  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