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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. file — a document
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. toast — bread
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. land — to come down
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — a country
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. vault — a safe
  21. land — ground
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pitcher — a jug

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