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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: lean · prune · net · mug · ball · track · kick · saw

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mug — to rob
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. net — after costs
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. track — a path
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lean — to bend
  16. net — for catching
  17. track — a song
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lean — thin
  20. mug — a cup
  21. kick — in football
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mug — a face
  24. net — in sport

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