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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: prune · game · file · nail · suit · dip · key · mate

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — in music
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mate — a friend
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mate — to breed
  13. file — a tool
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — clothes
  18. dip — to sink
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a document
  21. mate — a partner
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. game — a match
  24. suit — in cards

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