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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.

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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: squash · net · fork · prune · nail · fine · rest · suit

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rest — a break
  3. fork — in a road
  4. net — after costs
  5. fine — high quality
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. suit — in cards
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fine — all right
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — in sport
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rest — what's left
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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