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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
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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: rash · key · pass · fan · file · arm · land · prune

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. prune — to trim
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. file — a tool
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pass — a permit
  12. key — the most important part
  13. prune — to trim
  14. land — a country
  15. rash — a series
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. file — a document
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. key — in music
  20. land — to come down
  21. key — for a lock
  22. land — ground
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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