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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · firm · squash · prune · wave · lie · charge · stand

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. charge — a price
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. net — in sport
  15. squash — the sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. firm — a company
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. squash — to crush
  23. net — after costs
  24. lie — to recline

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