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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lean — thin
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pit — a hole
  16. branch — a division
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bound — certain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — to trim

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