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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cue — a signal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rest — a break
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bank — of a river
  21. file — a tool
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. file — a line of people
  24. fan — a supporter

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