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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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. season — in sport
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bank — for money
  16. kick — in football
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bank — of a river

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