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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
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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 · stand · pass · present · game · row · degree · mug

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. degree — from a university
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stand — to bear
  12. game — a match
  13. present — there
  14. prune — to trim
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. row — to paddle
  19. present — the time now
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mug — a face
  23. degree — an amount
  24. present — a gift

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