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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fine — all right
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fork — in a road
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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