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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.

Make a worksheet

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: prune · bear · leaves · game · plane · wake · mouse · racket

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. plane — a tool
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a match
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. game — wild animals
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wake — a trail

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