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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: fall · kick · scale · mine · file · prune · suit · pop

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fall — the season
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. scale — in music
  7. kick — in football
  8. suit — in cards
  9. file — a line of people
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fall — to drop
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pop — soda
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. suit — clothes
  24. file — a tool

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