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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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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. current — happening now
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pop — music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — soda
  14. current — electric
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. current — of water
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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