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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: season · march · ball · prune · spell · craft · fine · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fine — high quality
  6. spell — letters
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. spell — magic
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. march — music
  12. craft — boats
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ball — a great time
  15. season — of the year
  16. fine — all right
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. march — the month
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. march — the month

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