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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rock — music
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. file — a line of people
  5. firm — steady
  6. file — a tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — all right
  15. pit — a hole
  16. file — a document
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. prune — the fruit

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