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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · straw · tube · rock · lie · fine · prune · jam

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. prune — to trim
  3. present — there
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. present — a gift
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fine — all right
  9. rock — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — a container
  12. present — the time now
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lie — to recline
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. tube — the underground
  23. prune — to trim
  24. jam — in traffic

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