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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bank — for money
  3. craft — a skill
  4. face — to point toward
  5. kick — in football
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. court — of a king
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. court — of law
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. file — a line of people
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. face — to confront
  19. file — a tool
  20. fine — high quality
  21. court — for sport
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. face — part of the head
  24. craft — boats

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