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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cap — of ice
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. cap — a hat
  9. date — the fruit
  10. net — after costs
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cap — a lid
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fine — high quality
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. roll — a list
  21. fine — all right
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. roll — a cake
  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