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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: stand · mark · spring · court · pass · prune · bass · cue

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bass — low music
  5. spring — a coil
  6. court — of a king
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. spring — the season
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cue — a signal
  14. court — of law
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pass — a permit
  24. court — for sport

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