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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rock — a stone
  4. file — a document
  5. face — to confront
  6. can — a tin
  7. file — a tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. present — there
  12. file — a line of people
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. can — a tin
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. present — the time now
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — music
  24. present — a gift

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