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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. file — a line of people
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. file — a document
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. saw — the tool
  18. file — a tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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