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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — a break
  6. suit — to fit
  7. band — a music group
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a ring
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rest — what's left
  14. file — a tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. file — a document
  18. suit — clothes

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