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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · perch · prune · key · wax · kid · date · racket

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. can — to be able to
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. kid — child
  8. key — in music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — a tin
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kid — to tease
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wax — to grow
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. can — a tin
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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