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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: bore · prune · suit · pass · deal · pop · land · can

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bore — to tire
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pop — music
  9. land — a country
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. land — to come down
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pop — to visit
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — a permit
  23. land — ground
  24. deal — to handle

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