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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rock — music
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. object — a thing
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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