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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 · ground · saw · squash · jam · can · arm · ball

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. file — a document
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. file — a line of people
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ground — a position
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — crushed
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ball — a great time
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. can — to be able to
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. file — a tool
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. arm — part of the body

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