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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: file · content · foot · pitch · rash · last · dip · rush

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. file — a line of people
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. last — finally
  5. content — the amount
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rash — hasty
  9. last — final
  10. file — a tool
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rush — hurry
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. content — happy
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. last — to go on
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. file — a document

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