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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: trunk · mark · kid · firm · scale · mouse · prune · mug

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. kid — child
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. firm — a company
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. prune — to trim
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. firm — steady
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mug — a face
  22. firm — decided
  23. scale — in music
  24. prune — the fruit

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