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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. suit — clothes
  3. dip — to sink
  4. file — a document
  5. suit — in cards
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. suit — to fit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. club — a group
  12. plane — a tool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. field — a subject
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. file — a tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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