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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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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 · fork · suit · key · lie · row · file · race

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. file — a document
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. row — a line
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. suit — to fit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. race — a contest
  15. file — a tool
  16. suit — clothes
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. race — the arms race
  20. suit — in cards
  21. file — a line of people
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. race — humankind
  24. lie — to recline

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