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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chest — a box
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mug — a cup
  7. chest — of your body
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kick — in football
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mug — a face
  16. chest — of your body
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. sharp — clever
  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