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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 120 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
468
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: band · stick · track · present · land · cabinet · racket · prune

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. prune — to trim
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. track — to keep track
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. present — the time now
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. track — a song
  17. land — to come down
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. land — a country
  21. present — there
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. land — ground
  24. present — a gift

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