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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. shower — to wash
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. foot — a measure
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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