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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pit · prune · bark · stand · suit · key · spell · field

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pit — in a race
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. key — the most important part
  8. field — farmland
  9. pit — a hole
  10. key — for a lock
  11. field — for sport
  12. key — in music
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. field — a subject
  15. spell — letters
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. prune — to trim
  18. spell — magic
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  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