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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: pit · suit · shower · file · prune · mug · jam · bass

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mug — to rob
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mug — a face
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bass — low music
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — clothes
  16. file — a line of people
  17. shower — rain
  18. bass — the fish
  19. shower — to wash
  20. file — a tool
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. file — a document
  23. prune — to trim
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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