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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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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: kick · swing · content · pass · prune · perch · racket · stick

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. swing — to play on
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — music
  17. content — happy
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. content — the amount
  24. prune — to trim

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