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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. firm — a company
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. race — a contest
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. firm — decided
  14. race — humankind
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bank — for money
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — for money
  19. race — the arms race
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. firm — steady
  24. prune — to trim

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