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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. row — to paddle
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. row — a line
  10. prune — to trim
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — low music
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bass — the fish
  18. nail — on a finger

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