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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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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: rock · stick · prune · court · bay · capital · rest · pass

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. capital — money
  7. rock — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — to trim
  10. court — for sport
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — a city
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rock — a stone
  15. court — of law
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. court — of a king
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rest — a break
  24. pass — to succeed

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