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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 · perch · dip · prune · sharp · scale · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. scale — in music
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — to trim
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pit — in a race
  15. prune — to trim
  16. perch — the fish
  17. dip — to sink
  18. scale — size or range
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pit — a hole
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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