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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. spell — letters
  3. file — a tool
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wake — a trail
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — a short time
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. last — finally
  17. file — a document
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. last — final
  21. suit — clothes
  22. last — to go on
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. sharp — clever

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