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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: bay · bowl · fine · cabinet · object · court · prune · toast

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. court — for sport
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of law
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. court — of a king
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. object — an aim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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