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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: roll · wake · pitch · pit · wound · present · prune · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. present — a gift
  6. roll — a list
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. present — there
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rock — music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a hole
  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