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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. march — the month
  4. toast — bread
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. file — a line of people
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. march — the month
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. firm — a company
  18. file — a document
  19. march — music
  20. board — to get on
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. board — a committee
  24. toast — the most admired

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