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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. roll — a cake
  6. file — a document
  7. rush — hurry
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pop — music
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — a list
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. wind — moving air
  21. toast — bread
  22. file — a tool
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. staff — employees

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