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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bank — of a river
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bank — for money
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pass — a permit
  11. shower — rain
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bear — the animal
  17. branch — a division
  18. bear — the animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bank — for money
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. shower — to wash

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