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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: nail · safe · can · stand · row · pop · prune · land

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. can — a tin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pop — music
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pop — soda
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — to trim
  14. land — to come down
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — to bear
  19. can — to be able to
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. land — a country
  23. nail — on a finger
  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