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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: suit · board · pass · staff · ground · saw · prune · rush

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. staff — employees
  12. ground — crushed
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. staff — a stick
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ground — a position
  21. rush — hurry
  22. board — to get on
  23. staff — employees
  24. ground — the earth

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