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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. file — a document
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fine — high quality
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. prune — to trim
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. band — a music group
  14. suit — clothes
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fine — all right
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. band — a ring
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. prune — to trim

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