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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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 — to trim
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. firm — decided
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. track — a song
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. track — a path
  12. toast — bread
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. club — for golf
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. firm — steady
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. club — for dancing
  21. firm — a company
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — a sick person
  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