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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 120 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: object · lean · stand · band · prune · firm · row · ground

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stand — to bear
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. band — a music group
  9. object — a thing
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. band — a ring
  14. ground — crushed
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. object — an aim
  18. row — a line
  19. ground — a position
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. object — to protest
  23. lean — thin
  24. firm — steady

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