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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. file — a tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bank — of a river
  7. file — a line of people
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. file — a document
  10. lie — to recline
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bank — for money
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cue — a hint
  21. squash — to crush
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rest — a break
  24. coach — a trainer

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