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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: prune · fork · stand · file · foot · temple · shower · mark

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stand — to bear
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. shower — rain
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. shower — to wash
  14. file — a line of people
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — a grade
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. file — a document
  20. foot — a measure
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stand — for spectators

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