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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: coach · pop · prune · pit · pass · content · stand · season

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. season — of the year
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. content — happy
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. content — the amount
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pop — soda
  21. season — in sport
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pass — a permit
  24. season — to add flavour

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