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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
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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: prune · foot · mark · hide · fall · season · band · rock

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — in sport
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fall — to drop
  14. band — a ring
  15. rock — music
  16. fall — the season
  17. band — a music group
  18. fall — to drop
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. season — of the year
  21. mark — a grade
  22. foot — a measure
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rock — to move gently

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