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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: prune · file · tube · bay · mouse · snap · net · object

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. file — a line of people
  5. net — for catching
  6. file — a tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. tube — a container
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. snap — to click
  22. net — after costs
  23. file — a document
  24. net — in sport

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