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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. field — farmland
  5. prune — to trim
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. field — a subject
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. field — for sport
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. squash — the sport
  20. prune — to trim
  21. track — a song
  22. squash — to crush
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. firm — decided

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