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

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. file — a line of people
  7. toast — bread
  8. suit — to fit
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. suit — clothes
  12. season — of the year
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rock — music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. season — in sport
  22. file — a document
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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