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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: fork · prune · object · foot · mug · stand · fine · straw

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stand — to bear
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. object — an aim
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mug — a cup
  16. prune — to trim
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mug — a face
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fine — all right
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. object — to protest
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — a thing

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