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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — to trim
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. branch — a division
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. file — a document
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. leaves — to go away

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