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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
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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: wave · current · coach · tear · firm · prune · mine · saw

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — happening now
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tear — from crying
  18. current — of water
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — steady
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. current — electric
  24. tear — from crying

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