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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 116 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: fine · net · fall · leaves · stock · nail · cabinet · prune

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. fall — the season
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fine — all right
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stock — goods
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. net — after costs
  20. stock — shares
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fine — high quality

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