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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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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: root · jam · swing · clip · prune · hide · deal · pass

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. clip — a video
  4. pass — a permit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. swing — music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. clip — for paper
  13. root — the cause
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — to handle
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. clip — to cut
  20. root — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — of a word
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — an agreement

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