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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: pitcher · board · prune · pass · key · mine · bay · clip

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. clip — a video
  6. key — the most important part
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — to trim
  18. board — a committee
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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