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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. file — a document
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wake — a trail
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. drill — army training
  13. file — a line of people
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. drill — a practice
  18. track — a song
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. file — a tool
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bowl — to roll

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