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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: snap · prune · pit · stock · rash · safe · foot · court

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — for sport
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. court — of law
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stock — shares
  10. prune — to trim
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — in a race
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stock — goods
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rash — a series
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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