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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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468
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: toast · suit · present · prune · perch · leaves · branch · capital

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. perch — the fish
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. suit — clothes
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. present — a gift
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. present — the time now
  13. capital — a city
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. prune — to trim
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. present — there
  20. suit — in cards
  21. prune — to trim
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. capital — money

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