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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: pit · lean · track · prune · current · stand · toast · kid

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. kid — to tease
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. current — of water
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. lean — to bend
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pit — a hole
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. kid — child
  23. lean — thin
  24. stand — to bear

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