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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. net — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. foot — a measure
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. net — for catching
  15. prune — to trim
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. net — after costs
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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