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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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. rule — a law
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. firm — a company
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. charge — a price
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a line of people
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. charge — in control
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — government
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. firm — steady
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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