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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
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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: chip · pit · mate · pop · fan · prune · key · file

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pop — music
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chip — to eat
  7. file — a document
  8. key — for a lock
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mate — to breed
  14. file — a tool
  15. key — in music
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pop — soda
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pit — in a race
  23. key — the most important part
  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