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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fine — all right
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pit — a hole
  11. net — after costs
  12. mug — a cup
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pop — to visit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mug — a face
  18. pop — soda
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lean — thin
  21. pop — music
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — to trim

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