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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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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hand — help
  6. key — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. scale — in music
  11. snap — to click
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. object — an aim

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