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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wake — a trail
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. key — in music
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — to bear
  13. scale — in music
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. key — the most important part
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. present — there
  24. scale — for weighing

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