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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: sharp · prune · stock · wax · rash · pit · suit · stick

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rash — a series
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pit — in a race
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stock — goods
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stock — shares
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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