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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pass — a permit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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