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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · wake · season · bound · stand · pitcher · mine · prune

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wake — a trail
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mine — for digging
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. prune — to trim
  11. season — of the year
  12. bound — certain
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. season — in sport

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