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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. content — the amount
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. fork — in a road
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. content — happy
  19. foot — a measure
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. drill — a practice
  24. leaves — to go away

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