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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pass — a permit
  7. net — in sport
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lean — thin
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. net — after costs
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a ring
  21. net — for catching
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. band — a music group

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