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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.

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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: pass · coach · bore · straw · rash · prune · deal · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. firm — decided
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — a company
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. firm — steady
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rash — a series
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rash — hasty
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. deal — to handle
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — a straw man
  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