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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: prune · nail · stand · coach · toast · pound · root · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stand — to bear
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. toast — bread
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. root — the cause
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. root — of a word
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pound — a weight
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — of the sea

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