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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 120 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. branch — a division
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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