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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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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: fall · shower · present · prune · suit · nail · firm · track

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. firm — steady
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. suit — in cards
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. firm — decided
  19. track — a song
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — to fit
  22. shower — rain
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — on a finger

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