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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: prune · jam · lie · race · pitcher · foot · cabinet · band

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. race — humankind
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. band — a music group
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. race — the arms race
  20. band — a ring
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. race — a contest

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