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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: shower · race · prune · row · jam · rash · spell · pass

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pass — a permit
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. row — a line
  11. shower — rain
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. prune — to trim
  15. race — humankind
  16. rash — a series
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. shower — to wash
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. race — a contest
  22. spell — magic
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rash — hasty

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