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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mug — a face
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mate — to breed
  16. branch — a division
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mug — a cup
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. prune — to trim
  24. branch — of a tree

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