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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 was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. shower — to wash
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wake — a trail
  10. prune — to trim
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. shower — rain
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fork — in a road
  22. rock — music
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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