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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. can — a tin
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. degree — temperature
  6. capital — a city
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. degree — from a university
  12. prune — to trim
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pass — a permit
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. degree — an amount
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bowl — to roll

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