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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.

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: prune · tube · object · mine · kid · suit · pop · swing

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pop — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. swing — in golf
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pop — soda
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — a container
  10. swing — music
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. swing — to play on
  14. kid — to tease
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tube — the underground
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. suit — to fit
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. pop — to visit

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