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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: present · file · spring · drill · suit · object · dip · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. present — there
  3. file — a tool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. prune — to trim
  7. file — a document
  8. object — to protest
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. present — the time now
  12. object — a thing
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. dip — to sink
  18. object — an aim
  19. spring — the season
  20. drill — army training
  21. suit — clothes
  22. present — a gift
  23. spring — of water
  24. file — a line of people

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