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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. file — a tool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cue — a signal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — for pool
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lie — to recline
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — to trim
  19. file — a line of people
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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