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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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. net — in sport
  3. present — a gift
  4. net — after costs
  5. present — there
  6. fine — all right
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. file — a tool
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bank — of a river
  12. club — for golf
  13. file — a line of people
  14. net — for catching
  15. drill — army training
  16. fine — high quality
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. swing — music
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. drill — a practice
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bank — for money

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