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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 116 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: file · prune · straw · suit · wound · spring · can · cap

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. file — a line of people
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. can — a tin
  5. cap — of ice
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. spring — a coil
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — the season
  14. file — a document
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cap — a hat
  18. spring — of water
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. suit — in cards
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wound — an injury

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