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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. file — a document
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. spell — magic
  13. rock — music
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spell — letters
  22. saw — the tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. file — a tool

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