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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spell — a short time
  6. court — of a king
  7. firm — a company
  8. pass — a permit
  9. race — the arms race
  10. court — of law
  11. prune — to trim
  12. firm — steady
  13. race — humankind
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. race — a contest
  17. prune — to trim
  18. court — for sport
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — a hole
  24. suit — to fit

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