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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: date · file · roll · stem · can · wound · rock · bowl

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. roll — a cake
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. file — a document
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. roll — a list
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rock — music

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