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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: land · stand · prune · roll · pop · fan · ground · suit

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — in cards
  8. land — a country
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — clothes
  11. land — to come down
  12. pop — to visit
  13. land — ground
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pop — soda
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stand — to bear
  20. ground — crushed
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — music
  24. prune — to trim

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