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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — government
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. rule — a law
  15. prune — to trim
  16. firm — steady
  17. file — a line of people
  18. wound — an injury
  19. firm — a company
  20. can — a tin
  21. wound — an injury
  22. firm — decided
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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