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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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468
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: prune · stand · pit · present · bulb · straw · sharp · stem

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stem — to come from
  8. present — there
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. present — a gift
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. prune — to trim

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