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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — an aim
  5. roll — a cake
  6. file — a tool
  7. roll — a list
  8. stem — to come from
  9. object — a thing
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. board — a committee
  13. lie — to recline
  14. object — to protest
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. prune — to trim
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rush — hurry

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