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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — for dancing
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lean — thin
  15. cap — of ice
  16. club — a group
  17. lean — to bend
  18. cap — a hat
  19. press — a publisher
  20. band — a music group
  21. club — for golf
  22. prune — to trim
  23. press — to push
  24. band — a ring

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