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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. file — a line of people
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. file — a document
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. content — the amount
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. band — a ring
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. file — a tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. content — happy
  24. content — videos and posts

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