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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cell — in biology
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cell — a phone
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. prune — to trim
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. branch — a division

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