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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: capital · firm · stick · racket · prune · ball · kick · season

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. firm — a company
  4. kick — in football
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a dance
  9. season — of the year
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — decided
  15. capital — money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. firm — steady
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. prune — to trim
  20. capital — a city
  21. season — in sport
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. season — to add flavour

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