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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. net — after costs
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. tube — a container
  14. net — in sport
  15. tube — the underground
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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