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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. suit — clothes
  4. sharp — clever
  5. board — to get on
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cap — a hat
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. branch — a division
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. suit — to fit
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. board — a committee
  22. cap — of ice
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. prune — to trim

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