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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: squash · saw · spell · firm · suit · shower · file · coach

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. file — a document
  4. saw — the tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. firm — a company
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. firm — steady
  9. file — a tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — letters
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. squash — to crush
  18. spell — magic
  19. squash — the sport
  20. saw — the tool
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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