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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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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: fall · pitcher · nail · ground · cabinet · prune · pit · jam

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — crushed
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fall — to drop
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ground — a position
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. fall — the season
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ground — the earth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pitcher — a jug

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