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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · pass · plane · rest · cabinet · prune · hand · wind

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. prune — to trim
  3. can — a tin
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rest — a break
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — help
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. can — to be able to
  18. prune — to trim
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. plane — an aircraft

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