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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: land · prune · rock · jam · saw · wind · pass · lie

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rock — a stone
  8. land — a country
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. land — to come down
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — music
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. land — ground
  20. prune — to trim
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lie — an untruth

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