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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: capital · fall · mug · sharp · press · pit · lash · prune

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. fall — to drop
  4. pit — a hole
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. press — to push
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mug — a face
  24. sharp — clever

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