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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: firm · prune · mug · rock · face · march · bear · jam

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. march — the month
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. march — music
  13. firm — steady
  14. march — the month
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — a company
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. firm — decided

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