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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · file · suit · tube · cell · mark · present · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. file — a document
  3. land — a country
  4. suit — in cards
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. tube — a container
  9. present — the time now
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. file — a tool
  13. present — there
  14. mark — a trace
  15. land — to come down
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cell — in biology
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fan — to cool the air

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