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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. file — a document
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stock — goods
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. charge — in control
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lash — an eyelash

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