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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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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: can · prune · pound · rest · suit · branch · field · wave

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rest — a break
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. branch — a division
  12. prune — to trim
  13. field — a subject
  14. can — a tin
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. can — a tin
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. suit — clothes
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — to fit
  23. field — for sport
  24. can — to be able to

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