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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 120 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 · pitch · prune · hand · leaves · lash · cap · ruler

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitch — completely
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. hand — in cards
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. hand — help
  24. lash — an eyelash

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