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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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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. swing — in golf
  6. prune — to trim
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. swing — to play on
  14. hand — help
  15. swing — music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hand — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — hurry
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. prune — to trim
  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