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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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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 · pass · stand · snap · foot · craft · branch · lie

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. prune — to trim
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. branch — a division
  11. snap — to click
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — to bear
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. foot — a measure
  23. craft — boats
  24. lie — an untruth

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