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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. drill — a practice
  5. prune — to trim
  6. object — an aim
  7. fine — high quality
  8. object — a thing
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. object — to protest
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — army training

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