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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.

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: mug · tube · racket · suit · roll · spell · file · sharp

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. roll — a list
  5. file — a tool
  6. mug — to rob
  7. suit — in cards
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. file — a line of people
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. file — a document
  16. tube — the underground
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. roll — a cake
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mug — a face
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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