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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: bear · arm · suit · leaves · mouse · spell · pass · prune

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. suit — in cards
  17. spell — a short time
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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