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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 · roll · leaves · chip · spring · bear · mouse · foot

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. roll — a list
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. spring — the season
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. spring — a coil
  20. prune — to trim
  21. roll — a cake
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. spring — of water

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