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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · bowl · present · file · club · tear

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. club — a group
  6. board — to get on
  7. file — a document
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. present — there
  11. club — for dancing
  12. board — a committee
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. tear — from crying
  16. present — a gift
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. club — for golf

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