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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 120 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
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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: mug · cabinet · stem · pit · prune · mark · lie · stand

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — to come from
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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