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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. staff — a stick
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. prune — to trim
  8. file — a document
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. tube — a container
  18. branch — a division
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pit — in a race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  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