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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. club — a group
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. bear — the animal
  16. net — in sport
  17. spell — letters
  18. net — after costs
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — for catching
  24. mouse — for a computer

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