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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 120 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: stick · bowl · pitcher · prune · season · saw · fine · snap

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. saw — the tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. season — of the year
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. season — in sport
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fine — all right
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. snap — to click
  24. pitcher — a jug

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