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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 116 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: chip · prune · court · suit · nail · mate · rest · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mate — to breed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rest — a break
  5. suit — to fit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. court — for sport
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mate — a friend
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rest — what's left

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