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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 116 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: rash · current · scale · pass · prune · content · rush · bark

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rash — a series
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. current — of water
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bark — to shout
  9. prune — to trim
  10. current — happening now
  11. rash — hasty
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. scale — in music
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. current — electric
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. content — the amount
  24. rush — a thrill

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