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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. tube — a container
  4. file — a document
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. last — to go on
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ball — a dance
  9. last — finally
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rash — a series
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. last — final
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tube — the underground
  22. date — the fruit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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