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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: pass · mate · bay · ball · prune · wake · cabinet · tube

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. tube — a container
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — to breed
  22. ball — a great time
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. ball — a dance

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