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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: prune · nail · foot · arm · leaves · pass · suit · mouse

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pass — a permit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. prune — to trim
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. foot — a measure
  10. prune — to trim
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. suit — clothes
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. suit — in cards
  24. foot — the bottom

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