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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — a company
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stock — shares
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. firm — steady
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — decided
  24. stock — goods

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