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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: fork · mouse · can · saw · game · firm · file · prune

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. firm — a company
  8. game — a match
  9. can — a tin
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fork — in a road
  12. firm — decided
  13. file — a document
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. can — to be able to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. firm — steady
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. file — a tool
  24. saw — the 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