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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: stand · leaves · tube · bank · trunk · prune · racket · fall

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fall — the season
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. bank — for money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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