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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. net — for catching
  3. stock — goods
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — after costs
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — magic
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — boats
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stock — shares
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. spell — letters
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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