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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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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 · date · bay · dip · pound · rest · suit · mate

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. suit — in cards
  3. file — a document
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rest — a break
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mate — a partner
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pound — a weight
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. file — a tool
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rest — what's left
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. date — the fruit
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mate — to breed
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bay — a horse colour

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