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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · object · bowl · straw · foot · fine · prune · march

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. object — a thing
  4. march — the month
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. object — to protest
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fine — all right
  12. prune — to trim
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. saw — the tool
  15. march — the month
  16. fine — high quality
  17. march — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — an aim
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. straw — a straw man

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