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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.

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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: row · prune · pit · face · lash · rock · racket · can

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pit — a hole
  4. row — a line
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rock — a stone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rock — music
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. face — to confront
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. prune — to trim
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pit — in a race

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