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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 116 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 · pass · present · ground · race · plane · lean · season

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ground — the earth
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. present — there
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — thin
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ground — a position
  16. plane — a tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. pass — a permit
  19. season — of the year
  20. lean — to bend
  21. present — a gift
  22. race — a contest
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ground — crushed

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