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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 120 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: rock · object · bear · cabinet · pit · file · wound · foot

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. file — a document
  3. object — an aim
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. object — to protest
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rock — music
  12. file — a tool
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bear — the animal

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