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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: bore · sharp · prune · file · rest · deal · scale · firm

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. firm — a company
  3. file — a document
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — steady
  7. scale — in music
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bore — to tire
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. scale — size or range
  13. prune — to trim
  14. file — a tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. firm — decided
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. deal — to handle
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — to trim
  24. sharp — exactly

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