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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: mouse · fall · saw · ball · file · fine · date · bear

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fall — the season
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fall — to drop
  7. file — a tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bear — the animal
  12. file — a document
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fine — all right
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fall — to drop

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