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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — to trim
  5. club — for dancing
  6. object — a thing
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wind — moving air
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. suit — clothes
  14. object — to protest
  15. club — a group
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. object — an aim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. row — a line

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