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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. date — the fruit
  3. file — a line of people
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. key — the most important part
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. key — for a lock
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — to protest
  15. file — a tool
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. key — in music
  19. object — an aim
  20. plane — a tool
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. file — a document
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. object — a thing

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