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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. row — a line
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. tear — from crying
  19. branch — a division
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cell — a phone
  24. prune — the fruit

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