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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: kid · branch · pitcher · current · hide · saw · suit · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. current — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — electric
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. kid — child
  12. branch — a division
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. current — happening now
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kid — to tease
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — to fit
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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