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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pitch — completely
  3. branch — a division
  4. mate — a partner
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mate — to breed
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. prune — to trim
  18. suit — to fit
  19. roll — a list
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mate — a friend
  24. roll — a cake

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