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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. season — of the year
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — a hint
  8. season — in sport
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. field — a subject
  17. firm — decided
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cue — for pool
  20. field — for sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. field — farmland
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. chest — of your body

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