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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · face · file · present · prune · bowl

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. present — the time now
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. prune — to trim
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. prune — to trim
  10. file — a document
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. file — a tool
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. present — there
  15. face — to confront
  16. branch — a division
  17. face — to point toward
  18. present — a gift

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