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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: file · fan · spell · fine · prune · rest · cabinet · roll

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. roll — a list
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — a break
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. file — a line of people
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spell — letters
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spell — magic
  19. fine — all right
  20. roll — a cake
  21. file — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. file — a document

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