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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. file — a line of people
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. suit — clothes
  6. scale — in music
  7. file — a document
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cap — a lid
  12. scale — size or range
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wake — a trail
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — in cards
  22. file — a tool
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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