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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 120 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. prune — to trim
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — soda
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a leader
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. firm — steady
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pop — music

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