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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mug — a cup
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. net — in sport
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pass — a permit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mug — a face
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. net — after costs
  19. deal — to handle
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rush — to hurry

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