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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. branch — a division
  4. prune — to trim
  5. net — in sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. date — the fruit
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — after costs
  13. vault — a safe
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bass — low music
  16. net — for catching
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rock — a stone
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rock — music

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