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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · perch · prune · saw · rush · stick · jam · racket

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. prune — to trim
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. degree — temperature
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. perch — the fish
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — to trim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  24. racket — for tennis

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