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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. swing — in golf
  3. drill — army training
  4. swing — music
  5. branch — a division
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rock — music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. swing — to play on
  17. vault — a safe
  18. pass — a permit
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pass — to spend time

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