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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cell — in biology
  6. club — a group
  7. cell — a phone
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. club — for dancing
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. cap — a hat
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. club — for golf
  19. face — to point toward
  20. net — for catching
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — clothes
  23. prune — to trim
  24. face — part of the head

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