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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: track · saw · foot · file · fine · mark · bay · squash

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. squash — the sport
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mark — a trace
  10. file — a document
  11. track — a path
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. foot — a measure
  15. track — a song
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. saw — the tool
  19. file — a tool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. squash — to crush
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fine — high quality

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