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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ground — a position
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cap — of ice
  23. tube — a container
  24. prune — to trim

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