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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bear — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. wound — an injury
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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