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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: nail · leaves · suit · land · cap · prune · chip · arm

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — to fit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. suit — in cards
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. land — ground
  24. cap — a hat

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