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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: land · key · mouse · dip · saw · roll · rash · prune

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. land — a country
  6. key — the most important part
  7. saw — the tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. roll — a list
  11. rash — a series
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. land — to come down
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. land — ground
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rash — hasty
  21. key — in music
  22. roll — a cake
  23. key — for a lock
  24. prune — the fruit

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