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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.

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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: prune · pass · pitcher · mouse · coach · bat · rush · snap

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. prune — to trim

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