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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: file · mine · mouse · stick · craft · saw · track · squash

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. craft — a skill
  12. squash — to crush
  13. file — a document
  14. saw — the tool
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — boats
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. file — a tool
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — a song
  23. file — a line of people
  24. mouse — the animal

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