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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cell — a phone
  6. suit — clothes
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mug — a cup
  13. prune — to trim
  14. branch — a division
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cell — in biology
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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