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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.

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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
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 · perch · chair · firm · rash · drill · fine · cabinet

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — the fish
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fine — high quality
  15. firm — steady
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rash — hasty
  19. firm — a company
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — a series
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fine — all right
  24. rash — on the skin

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