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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: mouse · bear · root · prune · cap · file · lean · jam

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. file — a document
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. root — of a word
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. file — a line of people
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. file — a tool
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. root — the cause
  21. cap — a hat
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bear — the animal

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