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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: march · bear · prune · spring · pass · saw · pit · mouse

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spring — the season
  5. march — music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spring — a coil
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. march — the month
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. march — the month
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spring — of water
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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