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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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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: pitch · pit · prune · lash · rock · land · stand · spring

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spring — of water
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. land — a country
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rock — music
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pit — a hole

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