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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: sharp · ball · stick · bark · date · jam · file · club

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. club — for golf
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. club — a group
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bark — to shout
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ball — a dance
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ball — a great time
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. file — a line of people

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