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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. net — in sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. net — for catching
  6. firm — decided
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — a company
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pop — music
  19. net — after costs
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. firm — steady
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pop — soda

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