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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 · rush · wave · pass · stand · prune · fan · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — a permit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — a measure

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