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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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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: can · chair · ball · prune · leaves · scale · mark · branch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mark — a grade
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. prune — to trim
  12. can — a tin
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ball — a great time
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ball — a dance
  21. scale — in music
  22. branch — a division
  23. mark — a trace
  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