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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: prune · net · pass · mine · hide · object · track · club

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — in sport
  4. track — to keep track
  5. object — to protest
  6. track — a path
  7. object — an aim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. net — after costs
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mine — for digging
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. club — for golf
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. club — a group
  19. pass — a permit
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. net — for catching
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. club — for dancing

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