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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: deal · spring · temple · season · pit · prune · saw · stick

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pit — in a race
  3. prune — to trim
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spring — the season
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — a hole
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — a coil
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — to handle

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