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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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. firm — decided
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cell — a phone
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. kick — in football
  10. firm — a company
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kid — to tease
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kid — child
  15. prune — to trim
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. firm — steady
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kick — a thrill

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