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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: firm · suit · perch · pass · prune · rush · stock · chair

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. chair — a leader
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. firm — steady
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rush — hurry
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — decided
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — a company
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stock — goods
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chair — to sit on

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