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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: dip · wake · scale · prune · leaves · bore · stand · suit

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. suit — in cards
  8. scale — size or range
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bore — to drill
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stand — to bear
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. prune — to trim
  20. scale — in music
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wake — a trail

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