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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ball — a dance
  5. file — a tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. root — of a word
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — to be able to
  16. root — of a plant
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chair — a leader
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — for digging
  22. root — the cause
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chair — a professorship

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