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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pit — a hole
  4. key — for a lock
  5. drill — army training
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rest — a break
  8. key — in music
  9. squash — the sport
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. key — the most important part
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rest — what's left
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pit — in a race
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. date — on the calendar

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