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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: cabinet · prune · stick · squash · firm · hand · rock · capital

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — music
  7. firm — decided
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — a company
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — steady
  14. capital — money
  15. squash — to crush
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hand — help
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rock — a stone
  21. capital — a city
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rock — to move gently

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