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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pop — music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pop — soda
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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