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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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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: squash · prune · tube · hide · perch · jam · saw · roll

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. roll — a cake
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. tube — the underground
  10. perch — the fish
  11. prune — to trim
  12. saw — the tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. tube — a container
  18. squash — the sport
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. saw — the tool
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. squash — to crush
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. roll — a list

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