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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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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: stand · pit · pass · mate · prune · branch · vault · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — a partner
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. prune — to trim
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pit — a hole
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — to breed
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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