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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bark — to shout
  7. stand — to bear
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. field — farmland
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pop — soda
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. prune — to trim
  20. field — for sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. field — a subject
  24. swing — to play on

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