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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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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: saw · perch · firm · cabinet · ball · jam · patient · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. prune — to trim
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ball — a dance
  6. perch — the fish
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ball — a great time
  19. firm — decided
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. perch — for a bird

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