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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
468
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 · key · rash · pitcher · toast · plane · jam · present

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. rash — a series
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rash — hasty
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. toast — bread
  18. key — the most important part
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. file — a line of people
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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