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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. branch — a division
  3. file — a tool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pit — a hole
  8. prune — to trim
  9. key — in music
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stand — to bear
  12. key — the most important part
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. face — to confront
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pit — in a race
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — to point toward
  22. staff — employees
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. branch — of a bank

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