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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. prune — to trim
  4. track — a song
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. track — to keep track
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. board — to get on
  12. cue — a hint
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. board — a committee
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. prune — to trim
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. cue — a signal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. track — a path
  24. leaves — to go away

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