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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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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: fine · wound · cell · board · rock · prune · fork · racket

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rock — music
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fine — all right
  8. board — to get on
  9. fork — in a road
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wound — an injury
  17. board — a committee
  18. prune — to trim
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rock — to move gently

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