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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: mate · object · file · prune · land · swing · net · calf

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. prune — to trim
  3. land — ground
  4. file — a tool
  5. mate — a friend
  6. swing — music
  7. prune — to trim
  8. land — a country
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — a thing
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. land — to come down
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. mate — to breed
  17. net — in sport
  18. object — to protest
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mate — a partner
  21. swing — to play on
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. object — an aim

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