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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: chest · rush · perch · prune · pass · board · current · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rush — hurry
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. current — happening now
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. chest — of your body
  10. current — electric
  11. chest — of your body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — a committee
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chest — a box
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — the season
  21. current — of water
  22. board — to get on
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pass — a permit

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