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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
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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: file · season · wake · rock · object · kid · jam · foot

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. file — a document
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. season — of the year
  8. file — a line of people
  9. rock — a stone
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. season — in sport
  12. kid — child
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. object — a thing
  18. foot — a measure
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rock — music
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. file — a tool

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