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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bank — for money
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mate — a partner
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ground — crushed
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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