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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
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: swing · fan · craft · chip · prune · pound · mug · nail

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. swing — in golf
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mug — a face
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. craft — boats
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pound — a weight
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. swing — to play on
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mug — to rob
  23. swing — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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