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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. content — the amount
  8. rash — hasty
  9. key — the most important part
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rash — a series
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. key — in music
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. content — happy
  21. bass — low music
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fine — all right
  24. fan — a supporter

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