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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 120 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rest — a break
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — a hole
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rash — a series
  13. prune — to trim
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — hasty

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