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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: can · bark · wound · temple · suit · pit · prune · spring

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wound — an injury
  3. spring — of water
  4. wound — an injury
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — the season
  14. suit — in cards
  15. prune — to trim
  16. can — to be able to
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pit — a hole
  19. suit — clothes
  20. can — a tin
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pit — in a race

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