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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. prune — to trim
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. prune — to trim
  24. trunk — of a tree

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