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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 116 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. net — after costs
  3. present — the time now
  4. net — for catching
  5. ball — a dance
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — in sport
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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