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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mine — for digging
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. object — an aim
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mug — a face
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. object — to protest
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — a thing
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mug — to rob

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