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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · branch · firm · lash · last · stand · pit · hand

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. hand — help
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. last — to go on
  9. firm — a company
  10. prune — to trim
  11. last — finally
  12. stand — to bear
  13. firm — steady
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pit — in a race
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. prune — to trim
  21. firm — decided
  22. last — final
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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