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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. file — a line of people
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. file — a tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. file — a document
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. charge — in control
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. suit — clothes
  22. charge — a price
  23. prune — to trim
  24. arm — part of the body

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