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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: fan · prune · kick · stand · rest · cue · season · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. season — of the year
  3. stand — to bear
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pop — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. season — in sport
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pop — to visit
  23. kick — in football
  24. rest — a break

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