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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. jam — to spread on bread
  2. saw — the tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. prune — to trim
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stem — to come from
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bank — for money
  21. capital — a city
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. suit — clothes
  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