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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: prune · season · track · suit · craft · can · mouse · bore

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. season — of the year
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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