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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. lean — thin
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. hand — help
  7. content — the amount
  8. lean — to bend
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. content — happy
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — in cards
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. file — a tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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