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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: file · pass · race · sharp · club · prune · racket · fine

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. club — a group
  2. file — a tool
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. race — a contest
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. file — a line of people
  13. race — the arms race
  14. fine — all right
  15. file — a document
  16. race — humankind
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pass — a permit
  21. club — for golf
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — exactly
  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