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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. stand — to bear
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. firm — steady
  11. spell — a short time
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. spell — letters
  15. club — for golf
  16. firm — decided
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — a company
  24. nail — for a hammer

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