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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.

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 · key · fine · fan · mate · cabinet · mark · fork

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mate — a friend
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fine — high quality
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fine — all right
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — the most important part
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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