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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · prune · ball · rash · key · cabinet · arm · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. key — in music
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — a series
  11. ground — a position
  12. ball — a great time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ball — a dance
  24. prune — the fruit

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