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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: hide · jam · mate · wound · bank · staff · prune · mug

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wound — an injury
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bank — for money
  10. staff — employees
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mate — to breed
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — of a river
  17. staff — a stick
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — a cup
  24. prune — the fruit

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