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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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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: jam · toast · fork · mug · scale · prune · fine · kid

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — a face
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mug — a cup
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. mug — to rob
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. kid — to tease
  12. prune — to trim
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. scale — size or range
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kid — child
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fine — all right
  23. scale — in music
  24. toast — bread

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