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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. firm — steady
  3. track — to keep track
  4. prune — to trim
  5. club — for dancing
  6. tube — a container
  7. track — a song
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. firm — a company
  11. rock — a stone
  12. club — a group
  13. tube — the underground
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — music
  17. track — a path
  18. prune — to trim
  19. firm — decided
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. net — in sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — for catching

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