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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.

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: leaves · wave · prune · pass · band · hide · key · rush

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. key — the most important part
  5. band — a ring
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pass — a permit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. band — a music group
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rush — hurry

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