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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: stem · bay · rush · pass · bass · prune · fall · pit

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fall — the season
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stem — to come from
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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