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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.

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: arm · object · prune · pass · bank · cap · ball · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ball — a great time
  4. object — to protest
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bank — for money
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ball — a dance
  15. prune — to trim
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. object — a thing
  18. cap — a lid
  19. object — an aim
  20. cap — a hat
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cap — of ice
  24. sharp — exactly

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