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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: rest · sharp · jam · file · tube · fork · club · spell

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. file — a document
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rest — what's left
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. club — a group
  8. spell — letters
  9. club — for dancing
  10. spell — magic
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fork — in a road
  13. file — a tool
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. file — a line of people
  18. tube — a container
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. club — for golf
  22. spell — a short time
  23. sharp — clever
  24. tube — the underground

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