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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: date · prune · key · pit · stem · swing · stock · lean

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stock — goods
  4. key — for a lock
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — music
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. swing — in golf
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. key — in music
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. prune — to trim
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lean — thin
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lean — to bend

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