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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 120 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 · rest · pass · face · ball · rush · mate · dip

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ball — a great time
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. prune — to trim
  17. face — to confront
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rest — a break
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ball — a dance

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