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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. file — a line of people
  7. scale — size or range
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a document
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — in music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stand — on your feet

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