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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mate — a friend
  4. fall — the season
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bank — for money
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cold — an illness
  11. season — in sport
  12. fall — to drop
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cold — not warm
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. season — of the year
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — to trim
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fork — to eat with

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