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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · ball · tear · suit · prune · safe · pass · coach

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — to fit
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pass — a permit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tear — to rip
  16. prune — to trim
  17. tear — from crying
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. prune — the fruit

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