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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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 — a fruit stone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cell — in biology
  9. board — to get on
  10. court — for sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. board — a committee
  15. can — to be able to
  16. court — of law
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. court — of a king
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. can — a tin
  23. prune — to trim
  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