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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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 — the fruit
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — decided
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mug — a cup
  7. firm — a company
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — all right
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chest — a box
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ball — a dance
  14. firm — steady
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. chest — of your body
  19. prune — to trim
  20. branch — a division
  21. ball — a great time
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. prune — to trim
  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