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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: pass · deal · prune · mark · current · rest · game · chair

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — a trace
  4. current — of water
  5. rest — what's left
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. chair — a leader
  9. current — electric
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. current — happening now
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mark — a grade
  21. prune — to trim
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. game — a match
  24. rest — a break

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