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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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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: prune · track · stand · roll · bore · fan · spring · stick

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. track — a path
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a song
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — to keep track
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spring — the season
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bore — to tire

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