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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. file — a tool
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kid — child
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. staff — a stick
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. file — a line of people
  16. snap — to click
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. rest — what's left
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rest — a break
  22. kid — to tease
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. saw — the tool

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