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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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: pitcher · prune · plane · mate · pass · cell · branch · mug

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mug — to rob
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cell — a phone
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mug — a face
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mate — a partner
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mug — a cup
  21. branch — a division
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cell — in biology
  24. pitcher — a jug

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