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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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: spell · lie · pit · field · court · stick · prune · fan

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. field — farmland
  2. court — of a king
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. field — for sport
  9. spell — magic
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — a hole
  13. court — of law
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. field — a subject
  16. spell — letters
  17. court — for sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — a short time
  23. prune — to trim
  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