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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 116 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spring — a coil
  3. stand — to bear
  4. prune — to trim
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. spring — the season
  9. craft — boats
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. spring — of water
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. firm — a company
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — decided
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — steady
  21. board — a committee
  22. rock — music
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rock — a stone

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