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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 · trunk · bay · row · lie · spell · pound · ball

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. file — a tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spell — magic
  22. row — a line
  23. ball — a great time
  24. row — to paddle

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