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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: ground · pass · fine · lie · prune · spell · bat · firm

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. spell — magic
  3. ground — the earth
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bat — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. ground — crushed
  19. firm — steady
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fine — all right
  24. bat — in an idiom

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