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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 116 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: mate · leaves · rush · prune · tear · cap · lean · firm

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cap — of ice
  5. tear — from crying
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. tear — from crying
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a partner
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lean — thin
  16. cap — a hat
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. firm — decided
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — a company
  24. leaves — to go away

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