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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: mate · fork · wake · prune · pitcher · cabinet · file · perch

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. file — a tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. file — a line of people
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wake — a trail
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fork — a garden tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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