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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — the month
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. firm — a company
  8. prune — to trim
  9. firm — decided
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — steady
  13. rock — a stone
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stand — to bear
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rock — music
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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