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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: racket · suit · prune · firm · pitcher · rock · row · band

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. prune — to trim
  6. row — a line
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. row — to paddle
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — decided
  18. rock — a stone
  19. band — a ring
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. band — a music group

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