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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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Word bank
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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — clothes
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spell — a short time
  7. drill — army training
  8. present — the time now
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — high quality
  11. file — a line of people
  12. drill — the tool
  13. present — there
  14. file — a tool
  15. fine — all right
  16. rock — a stone
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. track — a path
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — letters
  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