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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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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: prune · pit · vault · ruler · root · mine · lean · bay

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pit — in a race
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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