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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ground — crushed
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ground — a position
  15. suit — clothes
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mine — for digging
  19. firm — decided
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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