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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — a list
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — a gift
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. toast — bread
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. present — there
  20. roll — a cake
  21. present — the time now
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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