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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stick · fine · file · key · rock · row · rush · trunk

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. key — in music
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. key — for a lock
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. row — a line
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. file — a line of people
  14. fine — all right
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. file — a document
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. row — to paddle
  24. trunk — of a car

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