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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. saw — the tool
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. saw — the tool

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