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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: foot · cue · prune · pound · staff · stand · bear · leaves

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — to bear
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. stand — for spectators
  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