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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: bass · prune · court · pass · ruler · game · pop · dip

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. game — a match
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pop — music
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pass — a permit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bass — low music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. court — for sport
  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