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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fall — to drop
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. swing — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. field — farmland
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — a subject
  18. swing — to play on
  19. stock — shares
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — for money
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stock — goods

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