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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: prune · pit · cabinet · stick · vault · current · mouse · suit

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. current — happening now
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. current — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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