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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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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: mark · fine · pound · saw · key · snap · suit · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fine — all right
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fine — high quality
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — clothes
  8. file — a line of people
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to click
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. key — in music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — a trace
  20. key — for a lock
  21. file — a tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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