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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · stand · shower · bulb · prune · wave · leaves · tube

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. prune — to trim
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. shower — rain
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stand — to bear
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. tube — a container
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. shower — to wash
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. straw — dry grass

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