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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rule — government
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — clothes
  8. net — after costs
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. net — in sport
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rule — a law
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pass — to succeed

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