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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: prune · file · pop · spring · perch · racket · suit · arm

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — soda
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pop — to visit
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — to fit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. spring — of water
  11. pop — music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. file — a line of people
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spring — the season
  22. prune — to trim
  23. file — a tool
  24. suit — in cards

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