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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lean — thin
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. craft — boats
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. craft — a skill
  8. object — an aim
  9. file — a tool
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. key — for a lock
  12. object — a thing
  13. key — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lean — to bend
  17. squash — the sport
  18. file — a line of people
  19. squash — to crush
  20. object — to protest
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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