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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.

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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: racket · sharp · object · board · prune · lean · wake · firm

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. board — to get on
  4. lean — thin
  5. firm — a company
  6. object — an aim
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. sharp — clever
  9. firm — steady
  10. prune — to trim
  11. object — a thing
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wake — a trail
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. object — to protest
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. board — a committee
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — decided
  24. prune — the fruit

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