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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. dip — to sink
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. file — a line of people
  12. toast — bread
  13. club — for dancing
  14. file — a document
  15. fork — in a road
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. firm — steady
  19. branch — a division
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — decided
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fork — a garden tool

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