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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 120 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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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: lean · pit · prune · row · wax · bay · suit · mate

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — in a race
  4. row — a line
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pit — a hole
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — thin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — in cards
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wax — to grow

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