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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: cue · fan · file · mark · jam · date · fall · spell

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. cue — a signal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mark — a grade
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fall — the season
  9. spell — letters
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mark — a trace
  12. file — a line of people
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. file — a tool
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — the fruit
  20. cue — a hint
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — magic

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