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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: stand · spring · can · prune · squash · bear · court · safe

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. court — of law
  5. spring — a coil
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. court — for sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. can — to be able to
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. prune — to trim
  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