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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: pass · season · rush · chip · ground · row · band · prune

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ground — crushed
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. ground — a position
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. band — a ring
  17. row — a line
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. season — of the year
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. season — in sport
  22. rush — hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — for betting

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