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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
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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: perch · present · field · lean · roll · mate · prune · bear

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bear — the animal
  3. field — for sport
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — the time now
  6. perch — the fish
  7. prune — to trim
  8. field — farmland
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. present — there
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mate — a partner
  14. field — a subject
  15. bear — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — thin
  18. mate — a friend
  19. prune — to trim
  20. roll — a list
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. present — a gift
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mate — to breed

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