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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a hole
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rash — hasty
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rash — a series
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mate — a friend
  17. snap — to click
  18. key — for a lock
  19. band — a music group
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. key — the most important part
  23. band — a ring
  24. key — in music

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