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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: prune · dip · pass · spring · ball · nail · stick · bound

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. spring — the season
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bound — tied together
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — obliged
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. spring — of water
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — a permit
  17. spring — a coil
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bound — certain
  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