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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: squash · wax · suit · current · prune · spring · fine · pass

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. current — electric
  4. fine — all right
  5. wax — to grow
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spring — the season
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pass — a permit
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. current — of water
  21. spring — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wax — for sculpting

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