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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. file — a tool
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — of a river
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — decided
  13. present — the time now
  14. toast — bread
  15. spell — a short time
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spell — magic
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. firm — a company
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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