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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. tube — the underground
  3. file — a tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. file — a line of people
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. file — a document
  11. ball — a great time
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. board — to get on
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — a container

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