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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 116 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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. can — a tin
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — a company
  10. prune — to trim
  11. firm — decided
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. can — to be able to
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wind — moving air
  24. leaves — lets stay

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