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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · bark · bear · jam · leaves · cue · key · ground

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cue — for pool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cue — a hint
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bark — to shout
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ground — a position
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bear — the animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. leaves — of a tree

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