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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · mouse · prune · fine · file · rest · current · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. current — of water
  3. file — a tool
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. current — electric
  6. squash — the sport
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fine — all right
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rest — a break
  21. current — happening now
  22. file — a document
  23. rest — what's left
  24. prune — to trim

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