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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: band · clip · fork · leaves · mark · foot · jam · prune

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. clip — to cut
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. band — a music group
  12. mark — a trace
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. foot — a measure
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. prune — to trim
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. clip — for paper
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. band — a ring
  24. prune — to trim

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