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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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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 · prune · cue · mate · root · stick · kid · jam

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mate — a partner
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bear — the animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. root — the cause
  20. mate — to breed
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. kid — child
  23. root — of a word
  24. cue — a hint

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