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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. can — to be able to
  11. suit — in cards
  12. sharp — clever
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — a tin
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. suit — clothes
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. prune — to trim
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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