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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. file — a document
  6. pit — in a race
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. craft — boats
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pop — soda
  21. fall — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. file — a tool

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