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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.

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: prune · bass · mouse · leaves · nail · fan · bay · stand

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bass — low music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stand — for spectators

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