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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: mark · leaves · jam · fine · cabinet · mouse · fan · prune

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a grade
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mark — a trace
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. leaves — lets stay

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