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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — to trim
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bark — to shout
  14. object — to protest
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. racket — a loud noise
  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