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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rest — a break
  3. mug — a face
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. firm — steady
  6. mug — a cup
  7. file — a document
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — soda
  12. craft — boats
  13. pop — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mug — to rob
  17. degree — temperature
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rest — what's left
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. file — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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