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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pit — in a race
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. shower — to wash
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — a grade
  19. shower — rain
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pass — to succeed

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