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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.

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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: spell · firm · march · scale · prune · bore · rock · pass

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. firm — decided
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. march — the month
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pass — a permit
  9. scale — size or range
  10. spell — letters
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rock — a stone
  14. prune — to trim
  15. firm — steady
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. scale — in music
  18. firm — a company
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — to tire
  22. march — the month
  23. rock — music
  24. march — music

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