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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stand — to bear
  4. spring — of water
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — all right
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pound — a weight
  17. suit — to fit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. spring — a coil
  23. saw — the tool
  24. spring — the season

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