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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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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: prune · foot · pitcher · pit · snap · object · season · suit

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pit — in a race
  4. suit — to fit
  5. snap — to click
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. season — in sport
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. object — a thing
  17. suit — in cards
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. season — of the year
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. foot — a measure

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