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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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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: net · wound · stand · spell · wake · prune · suit · saw

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wake — a trail
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. prune — to trim
  7. net — for catching
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. spell — letters
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wound — an injury
  16. net — in sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spell — magic
  19. net — after costs
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — to bear
  24. suit — in cards

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