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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: straw · racket · lean · pitcher · rush · deal · cabinet · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. lean — thin
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lean — to bend
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rush — hurry

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