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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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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: toast · charge · file · lean · rest · club · prune · staff

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. file — a document
  3. charge — a price
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. club — for golf
  6. staff — employees
  7. file — a tool
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rest — what's left
  10. file — a line of people
  11. staff — employees
  12. lean — thin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. prune — to trim
  16. toast — bread
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. staff — a stick
  24. lean — to bend

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