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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.

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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: prune · stem · firm · ball · fine · cabinet · bowl · clip

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. clip — a video
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. clip — for paper
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. clip — to cut
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a dance
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — decided
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. firm — steady
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fine — high quality
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — all right

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