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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. file — a line of people
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. date — the fruit
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. file — a tool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wax — in the ear

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