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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: net · kick · racket · prune · wave · fork · squash · fine

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. net — in sport
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fine — high quality
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. prune — to trim
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — in a road
  12. kick — in football
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. squash — the sport
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. net — for catching
  19. fine — all right
  20. net — after costs
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wave — with your hand

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