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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: object · prune · rock · lean · jam · chest · fine · craft

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fine — all right
  7. object — an aim
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. chest — of your body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lean — to bend
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. rock — a stone
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lean — thin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chest — a box
  24. craft — a handicraft

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