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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: bound · lean · mouse · toast · prune · trunk · bass · jam

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. toast — bread
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bound — tied together
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bound — certain
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lean — thin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lean — to bend

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