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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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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: fine · prune · mate · jam · sharp · rush · tube · pitcher

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. fine — all right
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. tube — the underground
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mate — to breed
  6. tube — a container
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mate — a partner
  11. sharp — clever
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mate — a friend
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fine — high quality
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. prune — to trim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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