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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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Word bank
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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: pop · spell · chair · rush · rock · prune · current · pitch

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. spell — letters
  5. pop — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pop — to visit
  9. current — happening now
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. current — electric
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rock — music
  17. chair — a leader
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. current — of water
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pop — soda

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