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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: can · roll · season · file · club · last · rock · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. club — a group
  4. last — finally
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. file — a document
  7. club — for dancing
  8. file — a tool
  9. last — final
  10. ground — crushed
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. last — to go on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. season — in sport
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — music
  19. club — for golf
  20. can — to be able to
  21. season — of the year
  22. file — a line of people
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. can — a tin

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