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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stand — to bear
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. toast — bread
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — a break
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. prune — to trim

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