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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — to fit
  3. firm — a company
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — in cards
  6. firm — decided
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — a hole
  12. firm — steady
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chair — a leader
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. root — of a word
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. dip — to dunk

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