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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. firm — decided
  4. present — there
  5. object — a thing
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. present — a gift
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. fall — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. firm — steady
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. file — a line of people
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. file — a document
  17. object — to protest
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. present — the time now
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. firm — a company
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fall — to drop
  24. object — an aim

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