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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: prune · ball · drill · straw · firm · hide · stand · bear

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. firm — steady
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stand — to bear
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bear — the animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. firm — decided
  18. ball — a great time
  19. drill — army training
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. firm — a company
  24. straw — a straw man

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