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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pass — a permit
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bear — the animal
  9. scale — in music
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. chair — a leader
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. plane — a tool
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bear — the animal

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