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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. present — a gift
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ball — a dance
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cap — a lid
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. present — there
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. racket — for tennis

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