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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: scale · jam · prune · lean · rock · firm · kid · bowl

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. firm — steady
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — a company
  11. lean — to bend
  12. scale — in music
  13. firm — decided
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. lean — thin
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. kid — child
  24. prune — to trim

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