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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 116 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: tube · file · bass · perch · fall · prune · safe · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. perch — the fish
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. file — a document
  6. prune — to trim
  7. file — a tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the fish
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. tube — a container
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bass — low music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fan — a supporter
  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