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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rock — music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lean — thin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. suit — in cards

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