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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lean — to bend
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lean — thin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. file — a document
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fork — in a road
  11. roll — a list
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. roll — a cake
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bank — for money
  23. pit — in a race
  24. prune — the fruit

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