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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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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: prune · firm · suit · wind · can · stand · spring · last

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wind — moving air
  3. firm — decided
  4. suit — to fit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. can — a tin
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wind — moving air
  15. firm — a company
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. suit — clothes
  18. firm — steady
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. last — finally
  21. spring — a coil
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. stand — to bear

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