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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: suit · branch · prune · board · toast · face · date · mark

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. date — the fruit
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mark — a grade
  8. toast — bread
  9. face — to confront
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. face — part of the head
  13. board — a committee
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a trace
  18. face — to point toward
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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