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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: fine · mate · cap · spring · bear · march · prune · bark

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bark — to shout
  6. march — the month
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cap — of ice
  9. march — the month
  10. spring — of water
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mate — a friend
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. mate — a partner
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. march — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fine — a penalty

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