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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: lash · prune · board · key · pass · bowl · can · rush

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. board — to get on
  6. rush — hurry
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. prune — to trim
  10. key — the most important part
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. can — a tin
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. key — in music

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