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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. current — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a great time
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. tube — the underground
  11. staff — employees
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. current — happening now
  14. staff — employees
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. file — a tool
  18. current — electric
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — a container
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ball — a dance
  24. branch — a division

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