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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: pit · current · game · wake · stand · coach · leaves · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. current — of water
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stand — to bear
  9. current — electric
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. game — a match
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. current — happening now
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pit — a hole
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. prune — the fruit

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