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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · pit · prune · lash · wake · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wake — a trail
  10. swing — music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — in a race
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. swing — to play on

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