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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: bear · mug · cap · prune · fan · leaves · rock · face

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cap — a lid
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — to rob
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rock — music
  21. cap — a hat
  22. face — to confront
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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