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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — clothes
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mate — a friend
  7. season — of the year
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mate — a partner
  10. toast — bread
  11. season — in sport
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. suit — in cards
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — for a bird

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