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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — for money
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. bank — of a river
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bass — the fish
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chest — a box
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chest — of your body
  19. band — a music group
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bank — for money
  23. band — a ring
  24. chest — of your body

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