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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.

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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: dip · pound · stand · arm · leaves · rule · court · prune

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rule — government
  4. pound — a weight
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — for sport
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. court — of law
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. dip — to sink
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stand — to bear
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. court — of a king

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