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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. object — an aim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. object — a thing
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. object — to protest
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rest — what's left

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