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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 116 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. spell — a short time
  2. suit — clothes
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a document
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. file — a tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — letters
  10. present — there
  11. suit — to fit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. spell — magic
  15. present — a gift
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. key — the most important part
  18. suit — in cards
  19. key — for a lock
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. present — the time now
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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