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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · firm · toast · prune · last · land · file · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. firm — decided
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — steady
  6. last — to go on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. file — a line of people
  11. last — finally
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — to come down
  17. prune — to trim
  18. land — ground
  19. suit — in cards
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. firm — a company
  22. last — final
  23. land — a country
  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