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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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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 · bass · pass · stand · fork · perch · bore · pit

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. bore — to drill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bass — low music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bass — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. perch — for a bird
  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