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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. file — a document
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. file — a line of people
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cue — a hint

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