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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. file — a line of people
  4. staff — employees
  5. rule — government
  6. prune — to trim
  7. file — a tool
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — a container
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rule — a law
  17. rest — a break
  18. file — a document
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. staff — a stick
  21. prune — to trim
  22. staff — employees
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tube — in a tire

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