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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. content — happy
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. court — of law
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. file — a tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. toast — bread
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. court — for sport
  21. content — the amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. court — of a king

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