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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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. game — wild animals
  6. prune — to trim
  7. season — in sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. firm — decided
  17. wind — moving air
  18. firm — steady
  19. stand — to bear
  20. season — of the year
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. firm — a company
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. game — a match

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