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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.

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: prune · file · coach · deal · lie · wind · leaves · pitcher

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. wind — moving air
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wind — moving air
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a tool
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. lie — to recline
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — to handle

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