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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.

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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: root · lie · pit · pop · board · fine · prune · swing

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pop — soda
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pop — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. swing — music
  16. board — a committee
  17. root — the cause
  18. board — to get on
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fine — all right
  23. root — of a word
  24. pop — to visit

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