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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. staff — employees
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. staff — employees
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ball — a round shape

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