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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. key — in music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. file — a document
  5. charge — a price
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. key — for a lock
  9. file — a tool
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fork — in a road
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — electricity
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — to recline

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