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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — the cause
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. root — of a plant
  11. game — a match
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. club — for dancing
  14. saw — the tool
  15. game — wild animals
  16. club — a group
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — for golf
  21. saw — the tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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