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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.

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: season · race · can · prune · snap · bulb · pass · fine

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. race — the arms race
  3. season — of the year
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. fine — high quality
  7. prune — to trim
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — all right
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — in sport
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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