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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: net · prune · spell · pit · stem · lie · press · bore

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. net — in sport
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. lie — to recline
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stem — to come from
  14. spell — magic
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. press — to push
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. prune — to trim
  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