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

Word bank: lie · swing · pass · degree · prune · toast

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. degree — temperature
  6. swing — in golf
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. prune — to trim
  9. degree — an amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. swing — music
  13. toast — bread
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. prune — to trim
  16. degree — from a university
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — a permit

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