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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. content — the amount
  4. band — a music group
  5. key — in music
  6. fine — high quality
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rock — music
  9. content — happy
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. tube — a container
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. key — the most important part
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. band — a ring
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rock — a stone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. file — a line of people
  24. fine — all right

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