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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wound — an injury
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wound — an injury
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — to trim
  14. plane — a tool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. scale — size or range
  18. capital — a city
  19. scale — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. capital — money
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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