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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 · net · cabinet · track · toast · key · lash · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. net — for catching
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. net — after costs
  13. key — in music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — in sport

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