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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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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 · mouse · wind · leaves · swing · chest · squash · suit

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. squash — to crush
  5. chest — a box
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. swing — to play on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — of your body
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. squash — the sport
  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