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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: mouse · suit · ground · face · fall · kick · file · prune

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fall — to drop
  4. face — part of the head
  5. file — a tool
  6. ground — the earth
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fall — the season
  13. ground — a position
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. face — to confront
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. file — a line of people
  21. ground — crushed
  22. kick — in football
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — the animal

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