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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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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 · file · prune · cue · pit · cap · temple · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. file — a line of people
  4. suit — in cards
  5. file — a document
  6. prune — to trim
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. prune — to trim
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pit — in a race
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. file — a tool

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