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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — a hole
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. suit — in cards
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pound — a weight

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