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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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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: pit · fine · tube · pass · board · swing · prune · mate

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. board — to get on
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mate — a friend
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fine — all right
  11. swing — in golf
  12. board — a committee
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — a container
  15. swing — music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pit — a hole
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — a permit
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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