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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 120 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: mouse · bear · squash · arm · leaves · prune · spring · present

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. present — the time now
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — a gift
  11. prune — to trim
  12. present — there
  13. spring — the season
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. prune — to trim
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spring — of water
  20. squash — the sport
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bear — the animal
  23. spring — a coil
  24. prune — the fruit

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