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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · band · rash · nail · cap · present · pass · board

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rash — a series
  4. present — there
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rash — hasty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cap — a hat
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. present — the time now
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. board — to get on
  17. cap — of ice
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. band — a ring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. board — a committee

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