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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: court · saw · prune · roll · suit · cap · pit · safe

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. court — of a king
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. suit — to fit
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pit — a hole
  8. roll — a list
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — of ice
  14. court — of law
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cap — a lid
  17. roll — a cake
  18. court — for sport
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cap — a hat
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. suit — in cards

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