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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: prune · safe · clip · file · cabinet · content · leaves · mouse

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a line of people
  14. content — the amount
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. clip — to cut
  17. content — happy
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. prune — to trim
  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