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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · foot · object · jam · season · pass · board · prune

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. object — a thing
  3. cell — a phone
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. object — an aim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. season — in sport
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. object — to protest
  13. season — of the year
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. board — to get on
  20. cell — in biology
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. foot — a measure

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