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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: fan · saw · ball · firm · date · leaves · file · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. file — a line of people
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rock — music
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. firm — steady
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. file — a tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. file — a document
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. saw — the tool
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ball — a dance

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