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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a line of people
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — a grade
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cue — for pool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cue — a hint
  21. file — a tool
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stand — to bear
  24. patient — a sick person

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