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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 120 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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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: mark · stand · prune · rule · bound · racket · mate · pass

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rule — a law
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rule — government
  21. bound — certain
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. racket — for tennis

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