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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.

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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: bear · branch · prune · deal · fine · ball · cabinet · race

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. race — humankind
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a great time
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. race — a contest
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. bear — the animal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. ball — a dance

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