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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. band — a music group
  6. stand — to bear
  7. firm — decided
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a ring
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. firm — a company
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a great time
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — steady

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