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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rash — a series
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. shower — rain
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. shower — to wash
  24. prune — to trim

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