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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: prune · firm · fan · pit · tube · file · hide · can

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. file — a line of people
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. firm — decided
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. prune — to trim
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pit — in a race
  15. firm — a company
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. can — a tin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a hole
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. can — a tin

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