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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 120 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mug — to rob
  5. staff — employees
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mine — for digging
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. staff — employees
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stand — to bear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mug — a cup
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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