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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 116 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: rash · rush · cue · pass · land · board · prune · firm

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rash — hasty
  4. board — to get on
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cue — a signal
  12. board — a committee
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. prune — to trim
  16. firm — a company
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. cue — for pool
  20. land — to come down
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rush — hurry

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