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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 116 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: stand · spring · rush · leaves · pop · prune · safe · club

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. club — for golf
  3. pop — music
  4. club — a group
  5. spring — a coil
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. club — for dancing
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. spring — the season
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pop — soda
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pop — to visit
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spring — of water
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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