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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. prune — to trim
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. staff — employees
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. prune — to trim
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. sharp — clever
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stand — to bear
  24. leaves — of a tree

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