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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: board · land · firm · prune · swing · object · pass · cabinet

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. prune — to trim
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. object — to protest
  8. land — to come down
  9. prune — to trim
  10. land — ground
  11. board — to get on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. object — a thing
  15. swing — music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. board — a committee
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. object — an aim
  21. land — a country
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. swing — in golf

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