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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: prune · coach · ground · mouse · deal · rush · arm · pass

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pass — a permit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ground — a position
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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