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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 120 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: fall · hide · prune · object · sharp · track · net · firm

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. object — an aim
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — after costs
  7. sharp — clever
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. fall — to drop
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — to drop
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — to trim
  17. net — for catching
  18. track — to keep track
  19. net — in sport
  20. fall — the season
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. firm — steady
  23. track — a song
  24. firm — a company

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