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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: present · pass · rock · suit · bound · spring · mate · prune

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. prune — to trim
  3. spring — the season
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mate — to breed
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bound — certain
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rock — music
  10. present — there
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. present — a gift
  17. spring — of water
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. present — the time now
  21. rock — a stone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bound — obliged
  24. prune — to trim

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