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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: track · file · spell · net · fine · bore · firm · straw

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. file — a line of people
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. spell — a short time
  7. track — a song
  8. firm — decided
  9. spell — letters
  10. net — for catching
  11. firm — a company
  12. fine — all right
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. firm — steady
  17. spell — magic
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. file — a tool
  21. bore — to drill
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — high quality
  24. file — a document

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