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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. saw — the tool
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. file — a document
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bass — low music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. swing — in golf
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. key — in music

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