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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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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: net · pop · prune · leaves · bay · track · hide · firm

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pop — to visit
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. prune — to trim
  5. track — a path
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. firm — a company
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — in sport
  12. track — a song
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. net — for catching
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. net — after costs
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pop — soda
  20. firm — steady
  21. prune — to trim
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pop — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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