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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. can — to be able to
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wake — a trail
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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