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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. game — a match
  7. pass — a permit
  8. game — wild animals
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cue — for pool
  12. present — a gift
  13. cue — a hint
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cue — a signal
  17. present — there
  18. rule — government
  19. rush — hurry
  20. swing — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. present — the time now
  23. rule — a law
  24. rush — a thrill

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