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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 116 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: deal · pass · fan · season · pitcher · wake · stick · prune

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. wake — a trail
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. season — of the year
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. season — in sport
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pass — a permit
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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