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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: leaves · prune · fall · date · can · season · ball · perch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fall — to drop
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — the fish
  7. season — of the year
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. prune — to trim
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fall — the season
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ball — a great time
  16. date — the fruit
  17. season — in sport
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fall — to drop
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. can — to be able to

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