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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: cabinet · fork · arm · sharp · roll · prune · firm · pass

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. firm — steady
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. firm — a company
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fork — in a road
  12. roll — a list
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pass — a permit
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. firm — decided

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