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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: bay · lie · can · prune · wound · jam · key · pit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. can — a tin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pit — a hole
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. pit — in a race
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. can — to be able to
  24. lie — to recline

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