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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: prune · stand · fan · wax · field · suit · content · fork

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. prune — to trim
  5. field — a subject
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wax — to grow
  8. content — the amount
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. field — for sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. content — happy
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — to bear
  24. field — farmland

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