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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
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: lie · rush · bay · spring · can · rock · tube · prune

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rock — music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. can — a tin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. can — a tin

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