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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. dip — to sink
  9. land — to come down
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. land — ground
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. land — a country
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bass — low music
  24. stand — on your feet

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