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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 120 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: bank · mug · fan · hide · pop · wind · prune · foot

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bank — for money
  5. foot — a measure
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pop — soda
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. prune — to trim
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wind — moving air
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pop — music
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mug — to rob
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bank — for money
  24. mug — a face

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