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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: pit · vault · stick · date · prune · rush · mark · firm

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pit — in a race
  4. firm — decided
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mark — a grade
  11. firm — a company
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. firm — steady
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. vault — a safe
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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