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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. key — for a lock
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. club — for golf
  7. dip — to sink
  8. club — for dancing
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rash — a series
  11. pop — soda
  12. key — the most important part
  13. club — a group
  14. file — a line of people
  15. prune — to trim
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. key — in music
  20. file — a tool
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rash — hasty
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pop — music

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