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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.

Make a worksheet

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: prune · lash · leaves · fine · toast · bear · spring · saw

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spring — of water
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fine — high quality
  16. spring — a coil
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. spring — the season
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fine — all right

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