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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 116 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: prune · craft · season · branch · degree · rule · mate · nail

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. season — in sport
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mate — a friend
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. degree — temperature
  15. season — of the year
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. branch — a division
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. prune — to trim

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