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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: present · prune · nail · mark · file · lie · ruler · stand

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — there
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. file — a line of people
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. file — a tool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. present — a gift
  21. lie — to recline
  22. present — the time now
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — a trace

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