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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. net — for catching
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bear — the animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. spell — magic
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. net — in sport
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — letters
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. prune — to trim
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — a short time
  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