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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bass — low music
  6. track — a path
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. file — a tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. object — an aim
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. track — a song

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