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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 116 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
468
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: club · can · kick · court · stand · saw · land · prune

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. court — for sport
  3. prune — to trim
  4. club — for dancing
  5. land — a country
  6. kick — in football
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — a group
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. club — for golf
  16. stand — to bear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. land — ground

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