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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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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: firm · prune · ball · lie · wave · tube · pitcher · mug

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lie — to recline
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. firm — steady
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. firm — decided
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. tube — a container
  19. mug — a face
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — to rob

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