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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. net — in sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. prune — to trim
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kick — in football
  19. net — for catching
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. chip — to eat
  22. sharp — clever
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. net — after costs

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