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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: present · saw · suit · craft · season · ball · kid · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. present — the time now
  3. suit — clothes
  4. season — in sport
  5. kid — to tease
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. present — there
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ball — a dance
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kid — child
  15. season — of the year
  16. craft — boats
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. craft — a skill
  19. present — a gift
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. suit — to fit

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