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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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a document
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mug — a face
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pound — a weight
  22. suit — in cards
  23. file — a tool
  24. bowl — a dish

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