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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — of a river
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. prune — to trim
  7. land — a country
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lean — thin
  12. present — there
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — to bend
  15. land — to come down
  16. present — a gift
  17. shower — rain
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. shower — to wash
  20. present — the time now
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. land — ground

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