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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pop — music
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. field — for sport
  6. pit — a hole
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. vault — a safe
  16. field — a subject
  17. pop — soda
  18. pitch — completely
  19. field — farmland
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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