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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · stem · perch · fall · spell · bear · suit · saw

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. spell — a short time
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — letters
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stem — to come from
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fall — the season
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fall — to drop

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