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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. net — for catching
  3. swing — music
  4. net — after costs
  5. march — the month
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mug — to rob
  9. present — a gift
  10. mug — a face
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. net — in sport
  14. march — the month
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — there
  17. prune — to trim
  18. march — music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. club — for dancing
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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