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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bear — the animal
  3. court — for sport
  4. file — a line of people
  5. club — for golf
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. court — of law
  8. file — a tool
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bear — the animal
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. court — of a king
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a great time
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. toast — bread
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ball — a dance

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