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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 · pop · jam · toast · vault · suit · prune · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. roll — a cake
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. vault — a safe
  12. toast — bread
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pop — soda
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pop — to visit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — to fit
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. pop — music
  24. jam — a tight spot

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