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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: present · mug · mine · saw · can · date · prune · current

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. date — the fruit
  5. present — a gift
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — a face
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. current — electric
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. current — of water
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mug — to rob
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — to be able to
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. present — there
  23. prune — to trim
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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