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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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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mark — a grade
  9. track — a path
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. spell — magic
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. branch — a division
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. prune — to trim
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fan — a supporter

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