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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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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: prune · rash · perch · stand · lash · pit · race · stick

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. race — the arms race
  3. prune — to trim
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — humankind
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. perch — the fish
  11. race — a contest
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — to bear
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. perch — for a bird

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