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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. prune — to trim
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bank — of a river
  12. row — a line
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — a position
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pit — in a race
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stand — to bear
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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