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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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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: object · fine · swing · wake · pound · season · prune · rush

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. object — to protest
  3. wake — a trail
  4. swing — music
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. swing — to play on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — an aim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. object — a thing
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fine — all right
  22. pound — a weight
  23. swing — in golf
  24. season — of the year

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