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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.

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: rush · squash · file · scale · mark · arm · prune · kid

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. file — a document
  4. mark — a grade
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. prune — to trim
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. scale — in music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. squash — to crush
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. file — a tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. scale — size or range
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. prune — to trim
  24. squash — the 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